Electrical Current Felt in Light Cover?

[Jgilbz25]

I purchased the T5 Nova Extreme over 1 year ago. I was going some general maintenance inside the tank this morning and felt an electrical current coming from the metal hood cover? The current was felt only on the underlip where the plastic protector is.

Has anyone else experienced this? Dont want an electrical shock later on from accidentally touching hood while hand is in tank....

thoughts?

 

[albano]

You may be shocked by THIS, but lights, powerheads,heaters, ANYTHING electrical in water, can, and probably will, give a shock . Tank should be grounded, and system should be on GFI.

 

[dacaptain78]

I had a similar experience. It turned out that one of my heaters was faulty, but I initially fet the shock when I went to move the light fixture.

I would suggest that you check all of your electrical equipment, beginning with the heater(s) first.

 

[CHEMCHEF]

Unplug one piece of equipment at a time until you dont feel the current anymore

 

[jrobbins]

so he should keep trying to shock himself until he figures out which part is shorting out?? i personally would not follow this advice.

Unplug one piece of equipment at a time until you dont feel the current anymore

 

[jrobbins]

ok, here is what i would do if i were you...

1. do not touch your system again. certainly dont mess with the heaters or stick your finger in the water to see if you will get a shock.
2. buy a gfci
3. go home and cut the circut, then go unplug everything. i wouldn't even want to touch the pulgs if they are still live and you are worried about a short.
4. go back to the fuse/breaker box and turn on the juice again.
5. pulg in your gfci
6. one by one plug in your devices until something trips the gfci.
7. please be careful, this is how reefers kill themselves.

 

[DCG1286]

ok, here is what i would do if i were you...

1. do not touch your system again. certainly dont mess with the heaters or stick your finger in the water to see if you will get a shock.
2. buy a gfci
3. go home and cut the circut, then go unplug everything. i wouldn't even want to touch the pulgs if they are still live and you are worried about a short.
4. go back to the fuse/breaker box and turn on the juice again.
5. pulg in your gfci
6. one by one plug in your devices until something trips the gfci.
7. please be careful, this is how reefers kill themselves.

Fully agreed ... don't become a statistic or end up on this site.
http://www.darwinawards.com/

 

[CHEMCHEF]

It's a 120V outlet. Not the third rail on the LIRR.
I had a short and this is how I found it. But I dont mind a tiny shock.
I'm still here to talk about it.
I bet you less than 5% of people that have Aquariums use a GFCI outlet

If you want a safer way to do this. Use a multi meter and touch both leads to each plug until you find the current.

so he should keep trying to shock himself until he figures out which part is shorting out?? i personally would not follow this advice.

 

[albano]

It's a 120V outlet. Not the third rail on the LIRR.

have you tried the toaster in the tub, yet? :tub:

 

[rookie07]

I vote it was in the tank. umplug all, test one at a time

 

[juiceguy]

1-make sure you have a proper grounding probe on your tank
2-check your GFI.....they do go bad
3- unplug your light fixture and check your wiring, salt water spray can erode a contact if exposed

 

[jrobbins]

It's a 120V outlet. Not the third rail on the LIRR.
I had a short and this is how I found it. But I dont mind a tiny shock.
I'm still here to talk about it.

you can't be serious...

 

[CHEMCHEF]

I have had this problem. It is not that big of a deal.
It wound up being my fuge light switch, that had corroded.

I dont care how he takes care of the problem. He can stand 3 blocks away, holding a wooden stick with rubber ends, wearing 7" sole rubber sneakers on, while draining all the water from his house, and shutting off the water main for his whole neighborhood, if that makes him more comfortable. Hell maybe he should shut down the main power grid @ Con Ed.

you can't be serious...

 

[2slo4me]

It's a 120V outlet. Not the third rail on the LIRR.
I had a short and this is how I found it. But I dont mind a tiny shock.
I'm still here to talk about it.
I bet you less than 5% of people that have Aquariums use a GFCI outlet

If you want a safer way to do this. Use a multi meter and touch both leads to each plug until you find the current.

i agree. not for nothing but if your fish are still alive it means ull be ok.... had a similar problem turned out my power pack was faulty...

 

[Imbarrie]

Whatever you end up doing, video it. It could be entertaining.

 

[jrobbins]

i agree. not for nothing but if your fish are still alive it means ull be ok.... had a similar problem turned out my power pack was faulty...

absolutely. and since the birds sit on powerlines without getting fried, it's probably perfectly safe to go grab one of those too...and please do tape this...

 

[DCG1286]

Whatever you end up doing, video it. It could be entertaining.

youtube viewers would love to watch this I am sure!

Further reading:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electric_shock

 

[2slo4me]

absolutely. and since the birds sit on powerlines without getting fried, it's probably perfectly safe to go grab one of those too...and please do tape this...

are the fish grounded off like birds?

 

[jrobbins]

if you want to go sticking your hand in saltwater to find a short circuit, who the hell am i to stop you. go crazy. lick a socket, see if your finger can function as a fuse, try out the old ben franklin with a kite trick, anything your little heart desires...

however, telling other people to that a possible short near or in your tank isn't something to be taken very seriously is just irresponsible no matter how you cut it.

 

[Tangs Rule]

if you want to go sticking your hand in saltwater to find a short circuit, who the hell am i to stop you. go crazy. lick a socket, see if your finger can function as a fuse, try out the old ben franklin with a kite trick, anything your little heart desires...

however, telling other people to that a possible short near or in your tank isn't something to be taken very seriously is just irresponsible no matter how you cut it.

:iamwithst